Crackling Doom
Instant
Crackling Doom deals 2 damage to each opponent. Each opponent sacrifices a creature with the greatest power among creatures that player controls.
- CMC
- 3
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- BRW
- Rarity
- rare
- Set
- Commander 2016
- Price
- $0.34
- EDHREC rank
- #2067
Crackling Doom hits every opponent simultaneously, forcing each one to sacrifice their biggest creature while dealing 2 damage — three removal spells stapled into one three-mana instant. In Malik, Grim Manipulator decks especially, making opponents sacrifice opens the door for Malik's copy-the-permanent trigger, turning a board-leveling spell into card advantage.
Best Commanders
Commanders with the highest synergy
Malik, Grim Manipulator
Malik, Grim Manipulator wants opponents sacrificing creatures so its triggered ability can copy them, and Crackling Doom makes all three opponents sacrifice at once — that's up to three free copies off a single spell.
Mathas, Fiend Seeker
Mathas, Fiend Seeker puts bounty counters on threats and incentivizes opponents to kill each other's creatures; Crackling Doom pressures the board in exactly the political direction Mathas wants, pruning the strongest creature at every table position simultaneously.
Terra, Herald of Hope
Terra, Herald of Hope plays in a wide Mardu shell that needs clean, efficient answers across multiple boards at once, and Crackling Doom answers the question 'what about the biggest thing at each table' for three mana at instant speed.
Kelsien, the Plague
Kelsien, the Plague gains experience counters whenever a creature an opponent controls dies, so Crackling Doom triggering three simultaneous sacrifices in one cast can stack multiple counters in a single turn.
Queen Marchesa
Queen Marchesa decks thrive on maintaining political leverage and keeping the strongest players in check; Crackling Doom's forced sacrifice hits whoever is overextending hardest at each seat without requiring Queen Marchesa to pick a single target.
Format Analysis
Where it lives, where it can’t
| Format | Verdict |
|---|---|
| commander | legal |
| legacy | legal |
| modern | legal |
| pioneer | legal |
| standard | not legal |
| vintage | legal |
| pauper | not legal |
| oathbreaker | legal |
Commander is where Crackling Doom earns its keep — the multiplayer rules mean 'each opponent' turns one spell into three simultaneous removal effects, a ratio no single-target removal spell can match at this cost. In Legacy, Modern, and Pioneer it's legal but rarely played, because one-for-one formats punish spells that cost three mana to kill one creature when cheaper options exist. Oathbreaker mirrors the Commander dynamic at a smaller table, and the forced-sacrifice clause still dodges hexproof and indestructible in any format that allows it.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Price Context
Current price
$0.34 bulk tier
At $0.34, Crackling Doom is deep bulk — easy to pick up in any binder or dollar box. That price is stable; three-color Commander staples with multiplayer text tend to stay affordable because supply is high and the card sees no competitive eternal play to spike demand.
Explore
Sources
Mentioned
- Malik, Grim Manipulator
- Mathas, Fiend Seeker
- Terra, Herald of Hope
- Kelsien, the Plague
- Queen Marchesa
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.